Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,669, John Espy, N.C.

SERVICE
Nb
Espy John
NUMBER
S 31669
?
CONTENTS

4136 Georgia
John Espy, of Clarke in the State of Georgia who was a private in the company commanded by Captain White of the 1st command by Col. — in the N. Carolina Mili- tia for two years from 1778
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia at the rate of 80 Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 12 day of Jan- uary 1833 and sent to Hon. A. S. Clayton. H. R.
Arrears to 4th of September 1832 $120. Semi-annual allowance ending 4 March 1833 40
$160.
{ Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Wm Allison Cl Book D. Vol. 8 Page 131

State of Georgia } In Clark Sup Court Clerk: County } August Term 1832
On this 15 th day of August One thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court before me Charles Dougherty - one of the judges of the superior court of the state of Georgia now sitting in & for the county of Clark, John Esby a resident of the said state & county aged 72 years, who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. viz,  that he entered the service of the U.S. under the following officers & served as herein after stated.
Record of service in a battle in the top of page of original document
1 st In 1796 served one half of a three months service which he & his twin brother James had engaged to perform under Capt John Carruth of Troup, now Lincoln co N.C. Brig. General and Charles the same Col. of the county.
2 d About 1 st July 1770 entered the service as a volunteer under Col. Wm Armstrong & attached to the regiment of Col. George Alexander of Mecklenburgh N.C. & with belonging to Genl Griffiths army then with Genl Gates.
was born in the state of Virginia in the year 1759

Went with Gen Gates army as far as Sugereys mills, & was then detached to reinforce Gen d Sumpter; & was with him during the attack made upon him by Col. Fankton at Fishing creek.
From this time till about the middle or close of the summer of 1781 belonged to Capt Whites volunteer company & frequently called into service. About July or August served a regular three months term under Capt White & Maj Joseph Grimes of Mecklenburgh & went to Wilmington in pursuit of the British, being a part of Gen d Nathaniel Purdie's army. Was at the skirmish at the brick house near Wilmington & also the surprising & taking the Tany camp at a short distance from that place.
From this period to close of the war belonged to Capt Whites volunteer company & held himself in readiness to march at any time & was repeatedly engaged in service such as was then required of militia.
During the whole war often engaged in the service of the army attended to little else than the duties of a soldier.
During the whole war a resident of Tazewell, now Lincoln county N. C. & at present a citizen of Clark

County State of Georgia. He can state that uniting his term of service he served a period of two years during the the war of the revolution on the side of Liberty & that he has no documentary Evidence of the foregoing facts & with the exception of his two brothers whose testimony is subjoined he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service - If he ever received a discharge it is lost - He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present - & declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any other state - he states he is known to the Rev. Alonzo Church Pres. of the University of Georgia & Augustine S. Clayton a member of Congress -
Sworn to & Subscribed in open Court } John G. Gentry being a Court of Record this 15. day of August 1832
Robert Ligon Clerk
We Alonzo Church a Clergyman residing in the town of Athens Clarke County Georgia and Augustine S. Clayton of the same place do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John G. Gentry who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be twenty two years of age - that he is respected and beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution - and that we concur in that opinion - A. S. Clayton Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid - A. Church. Robert Ligon Clerk

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department that the abovenamed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states - and that Court further Certifies that it appears to them that Alonzo Church who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in the Town of Athens Clarke County Georgia and that Augustine P. Clayton of the same place who has also signed the same is a resident in the Town of Athens Clarke County Georgia and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to Credit - Witness my hand & seal this day of year above written. Alonzo Church  A. P. Clayton  J. S. McClellan
I Robert Lyon Clerk of the Superior Court of Clarke County, Georgia do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of John Epley for a pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office this 24 th day of August 1832
Robert Lyon Clerk Sup. Court of Clarke County Georgia

John Espy's Application
8162

Georgia Clarke County
In Clarke Superior Court
August Term 1832 -
Came in person into open Court James Espy & Joseph Espy Who being duly sworn deponeth & saith - that the first James Espy, that he knows his brother John Espy who has this day made a declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 - did serve in the Revolutionary War at one or more times & as he verily believes for a period of two years - & deponent states that he is acquainted with the most of the facts stated by him in his said declaration - Joseph Espy states that he knows of his serving in said Revolutionary war having seen him come & depart from home in the character of a Soldier and heard him say at the time & talk frequ- -ently of the occurrences of his different military tours Deponent was then quite young -
Sworn to in open Court being a Court of Record this 15 th day of August 1832
James Espy Joseph Espy
Robert Ligon Clerk
I Augustine S. Clayton, Member of Congress from Georgia do hereby Certify that I am well acquainted with James & Joseph Espy who have made & sworn to the above affidavit, annexed to the foregoing declaration & that they are entitled to full faith & credit upon either their oath or word - Washington City, Jan y 7 th 1833
A. S. Clayton M c of Congress

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
O. W. & N. Div. F. S. M. E. C. I. 31669.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C., March 21, 1896.
Sir:
In returning herewith your letter of March 9, 1896, you are advised that John Espy made an application for pension on August 15, 1832, at which time he was residing in Clark Co., Georgia, and seventy-two years of age, and his pension was allowed for two years' actual service as a private in the North Carolina troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time served under Capt. John Caruth and Col. Charles McLane.
Very respectfully,
Acting Commissioner.
Mr. Edgar S. Wilson, Macon, Ga.

John Eddy
properly attached to the certificate. Pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being inserted. certificates must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must be written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the paper is not
$80 per ann
Hon A. S. Blagden

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
John Espy. further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes. II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes. III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? — IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes. V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yes. VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes. VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes. VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? _____
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? has two witnesses.
XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? No. Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? _____
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? yes.
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? _____
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____. For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension.”

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

Glenn Brown Fort Madison, Ia. 4/5/901.
Hon. H. Clay Evans, Commissioner Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir: — There is some difficulty in our family in determining who is who. I am informed that three persons by name of Saml Espy drew pensions for Revolutionary service while living in N.C. Now I only know of Capt. Saml Espy who was wounded at Kings Mountain and would like a copy of the record in regard to him and also of the other two if you have a record of two others. My object is to determine when & where they were born if possible.
If you can find I would like the record of any other Espy or Espy that may have drawn a pension for Revolutionary

service, with the exception of George Epsy of Crawford Co. Va. which record I already have. Hoping your department can trill oblige me I am Respectfully, Florence M. Epsy.

31669 Rev INVALID.
File No. 31,669
John Ely Rev Rev was
Act: June 1 st 32
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 126
[Arrangement of 1870.]

March 21/96 Soldier pensioned Edgar S. Wilson. Macon, Ga. M.C.
april 25-1901 Florence M. Eaply Ft. Madison Iowa